Who'll Stop the Rain?

It is a beautiful song, with a very political meaning.

Basically what John Fogerty is singing is that he is sick with all the empty promises that politicians use. 5 year plans and New Deals were terms that previous presidents have used. And when he is singing about the singers playing and the crowd rushing up to them, despite the rain, its symbolism for people of the politicians party. Democrats and Republicans both will support their candidate no matter what, even under all the plans "wrapped in chains of gold". And Mr. Fogerty is just standing in the corner, listening to all the empty promises, wondering who is going to stop all the bullshit in the political system. It's a rhetoric question, because its always been like this, and it always will be.

its common for artists to incorporate multiple themes into a song. the beatles did this very well; they used word play in most of their verses so both thier main themes and their hidden messages would still work. John Fogerty probably began writin this song after woodstock, but along the way incorporated the vietnam war theme in there. He wrote "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" about the war, so he apparentally had feelings about it. Then again, its not unheard of for people to misconstrue the meanings of songs. Charles Manson's crazy ass had to go and ruin "Helter Skelter" for everyone by tryin to start a race war...

Bennetit is a Republican. This is about Viet Nam. Our war there went on for 15 years; yes, rain is a metaphor for the rain of bombs and terror poured onto those people; "Virginia" is a beach outside Saigon; five year plans, and new deals were empty promises and smoke screens politicians put up to promote the war and keep it going....we obviously didn't learn a damn thing from this tragedy. We don't know or care about our own hisory, much less that of those our government calls "enemies".

rich2481 - you have no idea of the facts you stupid mutt. Tom Fogerty died of AIDS - he contracted it from a blood transfusion he received during back surgery. He wasn't gay - he was married & had children. In fact, the band 'jammed together' at his wedding. People like you who don't know the real facts and engage in slanderous speculation make me sick - you're an idiot.

I'm with birdman and roq, but I'd add this:

Whether or not Fogerty was referring to these "5 Year Plans" are typically associated with Soviet Union economic development plans, and they were copied by a lot of Communist states as well as some capitalist countries including our own. FDR's "New Deal" was such a plan, expanding the size and role of government in this country by leaps and bounds. Since these are very specific terms which were names of real and well-known government programs, it's hard to imagine that Fogerty wasn't aware of this.

Today, when I listen to it, I hear "I watched the tower grow" and I imagine the watchtower of government control over an ever-expanding subset of our lives. The control is sold to us with the promise of prosperity -- the golden chains represent wealth and flashy diversion from the fact that they are still chains nonetheless which will limit our liberty.

I'm not sure what Fogerty's politics were, but if this song is an indication, he sounds pretty Libertarian.

I agree with roq on the analysis of the rain and the references to Woodstock -- the imagery he used in the song may very well have been inspired by that scene while he applied the imagery to something with more political overtones.

I heard he wrote this song about an actual event where fans at a concert of theirs wanted them to keep playing even though it was pouring down and raining.

Also I hear there is a pretty strong anti-vietnam message embedded in the song.

i was at a john fogerty gig 2 days ago and just before he played this song he said "years ago, when i was at woodstock, not playin at woodstock but you know, there, i was watchin a band play and it started to rain n everyone around me started takin their clothes off....so i went home n wrote this song.."

I saw John fogerty last week and he said to the crowd it is about Woodstock. "The crowd had rushed together tryin' to keep warm". Its obvious..

From John Fogerty's book Fortunate Son:

pg. 195: That's really a protest song...I was going at it sideways. With "I went down Virginia," I'm talking about Washington, DC. "I watched the tower grow" is their Tower of Babel. I'm talking about the BS, really. Political spin. I think the song was done enough like a fable that you don't necessarily have to know what it all means or even worry about it.

pg. 320: "I went into "Who'll Stop the Rain," a song very much inspired by those times we lived through together (Vietnam).

John obviously wrote this song in the first person narrative, as an American soldier in Vietnam. Yes this song is surly about Vietnam not dispute, many say 'rain' is to do with the pollutants and toxins used in the air which killed thousands of people, American and Vietnamese. I argue that point and believe 'rain' in-fact means 'bullets' or actual rain (harsh wether). Let me explain, American troops, young guys who had just finished collage, went to Vietnam to fight, unaware of the smarts the Vietnamese had, their advantages, mainly surprise. One minute you're marching and the next, under hail fire from Vietnams troops! 'How I wonder, still I wonder' & 'who'll stop the rain' I believe means, where and when is the next attack coming from and who will survive it when its over but better still who will stop it? Or an obvious meaning, which many people over look, is the harsh rain and storms the soldiers put up with. Vietnam's weather was and still is unpredictable, could be sunny one moment and a thunder storm the next. I hope many see my point of view, thank you for reading.